NASCAR has always had a huge following as well as the punch line of many jokes. The truth is since Nextel took over the sponsorship, it’s a huge money making sport. Fans are loyal and all you need to do is make a wise crack about Jeff Gordon being a “pretty boy” and chances are a heated debate will begin. The sport has gained popularity and is no longer tied to the stereotypes it once had. In fact, Nascar has a 40% female fan base, so it’s one of the most gender nuetral sports out there, and companies from around the world are dropping their baseball, football, and basketball sponsorships to move their logos on to the track.

I enjoy the sport and I appreciate the skill needed to be in the top of the leaderboards. You need skills, character and that something that sponsors are looking for. Oh, and money would not hurt. I mean just look at Jeff Gordon. Of course I added that as a joke since he happens to share the cover of the box with his teammate Jimmy Johnson.

Truth is NASCAR is more than a sport; it’s a skill and an art, a way of life, and for many, a dream you can almost grasp. I may never get the chance to drive against the top drivers in the world in real life, although I would love a chance to just see how I would do just once. I can take them on in video games.

EA has tweaked their NASCAR series for the last few years and each one has shown improvement over the past versions. Now we have the newest installment, NASCAR 06. This time around the main feature is team control. The question is has EA’s NASCAR 06 Total Team Control made the cut? Read on as I take the game out for a test run in our full review.

Gameplay

Fans of the series may remember the addition to last year’s game “Chase for the Cup mode”. It was a boost for the series and gave racing addicts a real feel for the game like it never has before. Now this year you will find yourself in a heated battle in the last section of the Pepsi 400. Driving as Jeff Gordon, you need to use the “Team Control feature” to take the checkered flag from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his teammate Michael Waltrip.

I like that the game throws you right into the action by default and you must succeed in order to get started in the real game. Some gamers may be taken back by this and a bit confused but it really helps set the tone of the game and start the action right off the checkered flag so to speak.

Once you succeed, the game starts off with the normal modes including last years “Chase for the Cup” mode and all the others found in the past. Of course, this year EA added a new mode, “Fight to the top” which will focus on the new team controls feature. I like the new team angle and had a blast playing the game.

It’s not hard to learn but will take time to master. At first you simply need to control two cars. Once you enter the “Fight to the top” mode, you’re team members grow which makes mastering the new feature a real challenge. I will explain the controls in the control section but wanted to say that EA also threw in voice commands to work with the new control scheme, which work about as well as any other voice commands we have seen.

Having a crew chief in your ear adds a sense of realism to the game and it works pretty well. The goal in the game is to win the season and try and get your teammates in the top money spots for that season. Players have plenty of settings to allow for the learning curve and to adjust the difficulty once you get the hang of the overall game.

Just like the real sport you will earn allies and enemies, the real trick is learning how to use each to help your team win. You will make alliances and have a few drivers that have a grudge against you. If you smack another driver too hard or on purpose to get ahead, he will remember this. In the same situation if you allow someone to drift behind you, he will form an alliance with your team. The real trick is when to use each to your advantage during the game, something you will master in time.

Control / Playability

The new controls are simple to learn. You have icons that will show up on the right side of your screen. By using the right analog stick, you can take control of a team member’s car and get him into the lead pack. You can send out requests like follow, block and work with me.

You have a set of requests when you need to ask the pit for advice, all of which are simple like gas, tires or just a simple request letting them know your coming into pit row and to be ready. The AI system is smart and will sometimes come back with a reason that they can’t follow your commands. The controls are easy to learn and I would say it will take about 30-45 minutes to get used to every new control feature.

They added a voice option that works well, but you need to adjust the voice sensitivity. Please note that you need to say the full command or the voice system will get confused. For a quick example saying “Work” or “HUD” will not work. You need to say “Work with me” or “HUD Up” and it works great. It all depends on the set-up of your gaming system and how close the TV is to where you are playing.

Like any voice command option you will need to tweak it and learn how it responds to your voice. You can always turn off the voice command altogether simply by clicking in the right analog stick. Most of the controls are easy to learn and by entering the other modes you will get the hang of it very easily. There are more controls I did not mention but those are easy to learn and are explained very well in the game book and on the game screens when the game is loading.

Xbox Live

EA has created this lobby just like the past ones, it’s simple to use and has lobbies for every player’s level. You can create your own room and set-up your own rules. The EA sports ticker will keep you up to date with scores while you wait on friends or challenges.

The online play is great and I did not have any lag issues at all, you will see the host’s connection meter so you can make decisions prior to racing if you think there may be problems with lag. Like any online game there are players who will race like it’s a demolition derby. So just keep this in mind, and there is the block button and feedback like any other EA game lobby.

A quick note that will save you time is this. Whenever you enter the live mode, your auto save feature will be turned off. So make sure if you return to the single player game that you turn it back on. If you turn off the game and have it set to auto save, it will return that way the next time. The 4-player races are really fun and you have the same controls except for the team ones of course.

Graphics / Presentation

NASCAR 06 looks good but this year they went more for the team aspect and not any major improvements in the graphics area. If you liked last year’s game, then you know what to expect. I think the graphics are very good and the cut-scenes look like the drivers they are trying to depict. I would have liked to see more additions to the graphics, but I could say that for every game I play really.

The damage effects and the smoke and collisions were all well done. They also did a great job with the in car view and that’s hard to pull off and make it look real for die-hard fans. I would like to see more of a realistic look when you roll a car or cause another to roll. EA would have needed to spend more time than allowed to make and add everything. It would have been nice to see perhaps people yelling at you or showing up at the special events, that would have made the game even more realistic looking.

Nascar 06 Total Team Control Xbox Screenshot

Nascar 06 Total Team Control Xbox Screenshot

Nascar 06 Total Team Control Xbox Screenshot

View all NASCAR 06 Screenshots – Xbox

Audio

The voice-overs are great and the pit chief in the ear adds something to the game right from the start. Each car has a unique sound to the engine or the tires, for example. The bumps and chatter are well done as well and creates more of a realistic sound overall. The choices in the EA Trax are great and you can choose to race with the music on or off. I also like the fact that you can adjust each effect. At first the crew chief was roaring in my ear and then after a few adjustments everything sounded great.

Replay Value

If you are a fan of NASCAR or racing in general, the game has plenty to offer. The chance to create a young racer and let him compete for sponsorships and endorsements was a great move. It really showed what it is like to work your way up in the sport. They added modes so you could play the game the way you want except for the opening everything else is up to the person playing. You can choose to simulate a race or run it on your own.

The team control aspect does get addicting and hard to put down. The fact that the game can be adjusted for each level of experience is also an added bonus. The game is made for everyone: those who are die-hard fans and those just starting out.

Overall Score

Overall Score: 8.9/10 [not an average]

Additional Comments

I really only touched on each mode and if I had time the review would be pages long. EA took a chance adding the new “Team Control” and pulled it off great. I don’t care if you just watch NASCAR once in a while or are a die-hard fan who knows every driver’s stats, this game is made for anyone.

Throw in all the added controls of the past games, the art of drifting and the added modes this one is worth every penny. The game offers a different aspect in almost every mode which makes it interesting to play them all. Something I rarely can write about a game and this one deserves that praise. While it could use some more tweaks graphically it delivers fun online or off and that’s what is important. It also makes me wonder what will be next for the series that at one time was lacking in certain areas.

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